SNAP responds to Penn State sex abuse

November 12, 2011

The following story aired on CBS 58 in Milwaukee on November 10, 2011

By: Shari Dunn

MILWAUKEE–Peter Isley the Midwest regional director of SNAP and he says they’ve been getting a lot of calls about the Penn State child sex abuse case and he sees a lot of similarities to the priest sex abuse scandal.

Isley says, “I mean if you look at the criminal complaint, you see the social value of the perpertrator and those involved with the perpertrator is so much greater than those children and those families and it’s as simple as that.”

And Isley also says when it comes to institutions there is a self protective mode that makes it difficult it get at the truth whether it’s allegations against say an athlete like at Marquette University or a respected clergyman in the catholic church or some one involved with a major athletic program..

He says “it’s really about how institutions unfortunately often deal with criminal behavior especially child sexual assault and other types of sexual assault when they involve individuals that are important allegedly important to the institution.”

Isley says are are several remedies here, first we should protect whistle blowers to encourage reporting. And second he says when it comes to your kids get to know the adults they know and ask programs they are involved in what that programs policy is on sexual abuse.